The stock Esky Belt CP motor is pretty well O.K. - this is the 3800KV motor you're talking about isn't it ? (EK5-0006)

Unless you want to see the whole thing go up in smoke or possibly flames (seen that happen once at our Club & Esky's aren't that common over here) - consign the Esky ESC straight into the rubbish bin where it belongs !

For a long time now the stock Esky 25A ESC's have had a VERY bad reputation for puffing out magic smoke for no apparent reason or worse still, just bursting into flames.

My own Belt CP's ESC was thrown straight in the bin without even bothering to try it - that was after reading numerous posts about their reputation before I even started to build my Belt in the first place.
That was about 3 years ago & from what I am still hearing / reading, they still have the same problem.

Try replacing it with an ESC in the 40A range - you'll find the stock Belt CP motor does run even better than before.
Really do think 25A's is too small for even the Belt's stock motor, a 40A ESC runs cooler and that alone helps your motor.

My much modified Belt CP was quite happy with first a Hobbywing 25A ESC - - then better when the Hobbywing 40A ESC was installed.

Not trying to 'push' the 'Hobbywing' brand name - had one of their 40A ESC's fail to respond to any setting right from the start even when using a card to try to program it. ( sent it back and was given a new one at no cost - the new one works perfectly )

Quite sure there are many other not so expensive brands of ESC's out there if you want to look for them.

With any of the 'cloned' Trex 450's - you'll probably have to think about up-grading yours servos as well.
Plenty on not too expensive brands of servos out there that are very good for a Trex 450 sized bird.
First replaced my Esky servos with Hitec HS-56HB servos then moved onto HS-65MG which have been going great for over 2 & 1/2 years so far.

Once again there are quite a few other, cheaper brands out there today that are just as good as HiTec. (or better )

As Flip said, everything will work but dump that ESC it’s a fire hazard, I know from experience.
I have done exactly what you are doing with a CopterX 450 AE V2, first your motor has a 10 tooth pinion on it, this will not work with your clone because the main gear has a different number of teeth, you need to change it to a 12 or 13 tooth, I used a 13 with good results. Your pinion is pressed onto your motor shaft so you will need to buy a pinion puller, but for a few more buck’s you can get a new motor from HobbyKing (3550KV) and buy pinions that use a set screw, that’s what I did.
Your servos and gyro will work just fine but with the new pinion the stock 1800ma 20c battery was a little weak but worked, as soon as possible get a 2200ma 20c battery or bigger. I also used the cpv2 stock radio, worked ok for normal flight and hovering but could not get enough pitch to use idle-up. I bought the Exceed computer radio from xheli for about $50.00, if you need a cheap radio, get this it works great and the heli fly’s and hovers so much easer. When you get your new clone disassemble everything and use BLUE loctite on all hardware (NEVER USE RED it is permanent and you will never be able to remove that screw again).

I'm a pretty old hand at fixed wing and know my way around e-power systems but as far as helis are concerned i'm a nube. I've got a cheapo 4 channel single rotor micro RTF heli and i can fly that round the house ok.

I'm thinking i could probably move to a T-rex 450 Clone, I've got some batteries that would suit that size of heli. But I see a few choices, torque tube, belt drive, flybarless

Can anyone give any advice plus what would be a good gyro to use? I've already got a Spektrum DX8 and Speky receivers that I'd like to use.

I'm a pretty old hand at fixed wing and know my way around e-power systems but as far as helis are concerned i'm a nube. I've got a cheapo 4 channel single rotor micro RTF heli and i can fly that round the house ok.

I'm thinking i could probably move to a T-rex 450 Clone, I've got some batteries that would suit that size of heli. But I see a few choices, torque tube, belt drive, flybarless

Can anyone give any advice plus what would be a good gyro to use? I've already got a Spektrum DX8 and Speky receivers that I'd like to use.

Hi I am building a HK 450 Clone, I have built a few Helis and have had good luck with them, I am Using EFlite Digital sevos that i bought on EBay, they are used but tested good, EFLRDS75H servos and a Trex 450 motor, 2218H 3800KV Turnigy Typhoon with a included 12 tooth gear, Use wood blades, as the plastic blades will destroy your heli in a crash, the wood blades will splinter and absorb the impact, use a head lock gyro, use a good 40 amp esc, use a fast servo for the tail rotor, the S75H servo will also work for the tail rotor, hope that helps, Chellie

use a piece of paper to set the gear mesh with and most helis will tend to drift left when taking off, use a training gear and set/shim the left side up a little higher to compensate for the left drift when starting out with helis, later you can remove the left lift up when you get a little practice in, hope that helps, Chellie

So what about flybar-less?.. Seems like the latest and greatest thing but it works out more expensive as you need a flybarless controller gizmo, which aren't cheap.

I'm guessing at my skill level I'd not even notice the difference?

Speaking About Flybars I tried to install the flybar on my HK 450 trex CCPM Clone Ver 2 Just Now, but it would not slip into the Flybar control arm and the Flybar Seesaw holder W T Fudge is going on here i took the assy apart, and found out that the Flybar shaft wont fit into the Bearings The outside of the Flybar shaft is about 0.03MM to big on the Diameter, not letting the bearings slip through !!#$&%$#! Ok, here is the fix, I put the flybar shaft in a portable drill motor and used 2 sandpaper type finger nail files and put the bar between the files, pinched the 2 files together as i turned on the drill motor and sanded the bar down a little, i keep checking the fit with the bearing so i dont sand off to much, it did not take much, but it sure drove me crazy at first Hope this helps anyone that runs into this issue, Take care, Chellie

As usual i didn't quite follow the good advice and went for flybarless. I did this because the basic heli kit was the same cost and the flybarless controller was only about $30 more than a half decent gyro. So $30 to have the latest whizz-bang technology doesn't seem too bad

Some of the gear is coming from the HK international warehouse so it will be a couple of weeks before I have it. Gives me some time to get practising with the sim and my little fixed pitch heli... I'll need it!

As usual i didn't quite follow the good advice and went for flybarless. I did this because the basic heli kit was the same cost and the flybarless controller was only about $30 more than a half decent gyro. So $30 to have the latest whizz-bang technology doesn't seem too bad

Some of the gear is coming from the HK international warehouse so it will be a couple of weeks before I have it. Gives me some time to get practising with the sim and my little fixed pitch heli... I'll need it!

I Think you made out like a Bandit Good for you, yea, you saved on the Gyro with the flybar controller, cool, Take care and have fun, Chellie

I may be getting Older, But I Refuse to grow Up I am Having to much Fun to Grow Up LOL

I just noticed the error in my post back before .. I said 3 x 9gr ... that should have been 4 x 9gr.

Tip for feathering shafts .... From factory the thread in them is sometimes a bit iffy. So take an M2 tap and run that down the inside of the feathering shaft to clean up that thread BOTH ends. Then when tightening - two hex drivers needed of course ! - the bolts will go in nicely and tighten up well.

Tip for flybar see-saw ... when replacing flybar - which happens often ! Do not fully withdraw old ... leave it just about to exit hole ... take the new one and use that to PUSH the old one out .. This way see-saw doesn't drop out of place as it sometimes has a will to do ! Another way is to push out old flybar with a length of thin rod ...

KEEP old flybars - they are BRILLIANT pushrods for small to medium fixed wing models. The threaded end fits a 2mm clevis perfect. Other end you make Z bend.

Flybars and shafts of all types ... try this guy for packs of them ...

His gear may be clone - but I have had excellent service from him and his gear .. at prices that are absolutely marvelous. Check out all his stock ... be surprised. I have no connection with him other than a satsified customer.

His gear may be clone - but I have had excellent service from him and his gear .. at prices that are absolutely marvelous. Check out all his stock ... be surprised. I have no connection with him other than a satsified customer.

Nigel

Thanks for that link Nigel. I just bought a slick looking CNC metal anti-rotation bracket from him. Havent even got the heli yet and I'm buying bling for it

Thanks for that link Nigel. I just bought a slick looking CNC metal anti-rotation bracket from him. Havent even got the heli yet and I'm buying bling for it

Steve

The other bit that is a great replacement for bthe standard fitting ...

Tarot single integrated tail piece.

Instead of the standard tail rotor fittings which are a pain and the block that clamps to the boom is the weak part .. any slight mis-alignment and that snaps ... I know !! The Tarot part gets away from that and you can even swap a tail rotor shaft without ripping it all apart as the original !

I bought mine of ebay ... and it's still as good now as when I bought .. ages ago.

If you buy anything of Hobby King ... then a shipping filler can be wood blades - when you have spare weight - throw in a couple of packs ... they do some really nice cheap blades that are fine for learning ... I have them and balance is fine etc.

So with the belt drive you don't strip the teeth off the belt in a tail-strike?

Nope ... it is set so that in strike - it can just slip ...

When correct - as shown to me by a comp flyer ... you should be able to hold main rotors ... turn tail rotors and with a little effort just get the belt to click over the pulley ridges at tail. It should not be so tight that you cannot do this. Similarly it shouldn't be too loose !!

In fact setting up tight will drag down the motor ... so it is set like you do a fanbelt on your car ... a small amount of movement so that it does not bind.

Tail strikes on a belt machine are usually just busted rotor blades ... with possibly rotor shaft coming loose from belt pulley in severe strikes. In hundreds of tail strikes - I have only replaced 2 belts in over 2 years. In fact Chungianqian's belts I found better than Aligns ! as are his one-way bearing collars ..